The present invention relates to a ceramic core recovery method and more particularly to such a recovery method utilised with regard to wax patterns used in investment or lost wax casting processes.
The process of investment casting utilising a lost wax technique is well known. Essentially, a wax pattern is created which is a facsimile of the component eventually to be manufactured and that wax lost to leave a mould for forming the component. Wax is used because of its ready mouldability and suitability for shaping.
With regard to formation of some components, it is necessary to incorporate ceramic cores or coring within the wax pattern. These ceramic cores allow the formation of cavities or passages within the eventual product. A typical investment moulding technique involves creation of the wax pattern with ceramic coring and then utilising that combination as a casting tool from which a mould is created from a ceramic slurry for subsequent casting of the final product. The ceramic cores remain in place in the mould for final component casting.
Unfortunately, the wax patterns may be improperly formed at the initial injection moulding stage and/or subsequently damaged during handling or wax transportation. Clearly, defective wax patterns are unsuitable for further processing and must be scrapped. Unfortunately, the ceramic cores or coring are relatively expensive but fragile so that they are easily damaged during any salvaging procedure. These problems are further exacerbated where bespoke ceramic coring is used with regard to prototype castings, etc.